CANORA - After the completion of the 2024 graduation exercises, Canora Composite School graduates gathered with family and friends to share the graduation banquet.
Pastor Mavis Watson spoke the blessing before the meal.
“Lord, You see every detail of our lives. You can see ahead and You know the best path to take. If we will let You, You will help us to choose the best one as we move forward.
“I pray that You will help these graduates to choose the right vocation for themselves, the perfectly tailored future that is custom designed and fit for each one of them. And if they will ask, you will help them through the difficult seasons, and celebrate their wins.
“The light is green for them Lord. May they enjoy more good days then bad, more happy ones then sad, and may they live lives that suffer few regrets. And when they need help, You will always be there, they have only to ask.
“And so in Jesus name we ask for Your blessing, oh God, upon these festivities, and upon this bountiful table set for us tonight. Bless this food, the hands that have prepared it and our fellowship together around the table of celebration.
“Amen!
“Congratulations Class of 2024. Go make a difference and do remarkable things with your lives. We’ll be watching and cheering you on,” concluded Pastor Watson.
The menu for the banquet meal included: roast beef, honey glazed ham, perogies, cabbage rolls, tossed salad, macaroni salad, mashed potatoes & gravy, and for dessert, cheesecake.
After the delicious meal, it was time for the toasts.
Lucas Latham and Porter Wolkowski kicked things of with the toast to the girls, and as is often the case with teenage boys, they left things until the last minute.
Porter: “Bear with us here because we wrote this in an hour yesterday between beverages.”
Lucas: “In front of all of you today sits a group of women who defied all the odds by being here.
Porter: “I personally didn't think half of you were going to make it.”
Lucas: “But on a real note, it cannot be understated how very proud everyone is of you. Being the only six girls in a class with 16 boys deserves an award of its own. Having to put up with our unending shenanigans and jokes is not a small task. This alone not only speaks toward your strength, but to your character as great human beings.”
Porter: “Time and time again you have shown us how intelligent and resourceful you are. I have complete faith in each of you to have bright and fulfilling futures. There will be hard times, but a famous baseball player whose name I can't remember had Lou Gehrig's disease and he didn't let it stop him, just as I know nothing will stop you either.”
Lucas: "We have watched you go through lots of changes through the years.. Whether it be changing your mind when it suits you best or changing your hair from red to blonde; you are incredibly resilient and prepared for whatever life throws at you. Callie, you are one of the hardest working people I know, you don't put things off, and you do it right the first time, a very admirable trait that many of us have yet to learn.
Porter: “Jordan, you are a very caring person who knows the difference between right and wrong. What separates you from others is you always stay true to yourself and your morals.”
Lucas: “Alina, you are a very strong independent person, even though you just moved here, you fit right in with the rest of us and I'm happy you can be sitting here as a part of our class.”
Porter “Shayna, you are very independent and caring. Whether it was driving us to parties when no one else would or sharing your notes when someone missed class, you have always been there for someone when no one else was.”
Lucas: “And finally Zennia, you have always been pretty quiet and shy and while I didn't exactly get to know you that well myself, I can still tell your heart is in the right place.”
Porter: “I ask you to rise and toast to the graduating girls of 2024.”
Of course, the girls had to have their turn. In their toast to the boys, Bailee Zuravloff and Shayna Leson started off with a somewhat philosophical tone.
Bailee: “As we begin this new chapter of our lives and we go our separate ways, let's reminisce a bit on the time we've spent together. We've had a blast with you guys, and we've loved every second of it from the start of kindergarten till the end of high school.”
Shayna: “Class just wasn't the same without Lucas, Nate, and Porter lightening up the room whether it was through their contagious laughs or with their sense of humour, especially in English. Or Jack with his impeccable time management skills when it came to handing things in. Did you get your Robert Latimer in yet?”
Bailee: “And it wasn't very hard to distract Mr. Lowes from doing a new lesson in Math for a few minutes. Whether it was new or old purchases off Facebook Marketplace or even simply talking about engines and any type of mechanics none of us girls ever understood.”
Shayna: “Ethan, Hunter, Brayden, and Rylan quickly came to the conclusion that they wouldn't have to do any work if they got Mr. Lowes going. There are many more stories to share but I figured I'd give you guys a break and not call you out too much.”
Bailee: “So, cheers to the boys who are stepping into a new chapter of their lives! May your journey be filled with success, laughter, and unforgettable memories. Here's to the friendships that will last a lifetime and the adventures that lie ahead.”
Sometimes called the Ry & Taye show, Rylan Bletsky and Taye Shukin took advantage of the opportunity to toast the parents, and make a few admissions and apologies at the same time.
Taye: “We would like to kick things off by sending a huge apology to all parents for all those times you put up with our nonsense throughout the last 17 or 18 years. From all the times we complain about washing dishes or you harping on us to clean our rooms and to take out the garbage. At the time we thought it was like a punishment, but as the years grew on we started to realize that it's not a punishment. It's life lessons that you were teaching us without us even noticing. You have built habits in us that we will take with us everywhere we go. From strong work ethics, humility, and respect for ourselves and others you taught us to be good people, which is the most important of all.”
Rylan: “During those late night math sessions that at the time we thought were life and death, and usually resulted in a few tears being dropped because we couldn't figure out what simple addition was."
Taye: “But our favourite of all was the random Saturday morning at 8 a.m. that our fathers woke us up and insisted that a job would only take about 10 minutes but little did we know that this was just the beginning of a 12-hour unpaid shift of vigorous labour that would have us sore for then next three days and he would laugh about it until the next Saturday morning where the cycle would repeat itself.
“But on a serious note, we can't even put into words how much we appreciate the countless hours that you guys gave up for us so we could be a part of different sports or activities throughout the years. You opened doors of opportunities for us so we can succeed and live life to the fullest.”
Rylan: “Your guidance, and endless knowledge has shaped us into the young men and women we are today. Your sacrifices, encouragement, and boundless love has allowed us to be the best versions of ourselves. Thank you, Mom and Dad, for being our champions, our mentors, and our biggest fans. This day belongs to you as much as it does to us. We love you more than words can express. Let us celebrate not only our accomplishments but also the love and support that have brought before us in the life journey to becoming young adults."
Taye: “So let's make a toast to the parents.”
Jack Craig and Jordan Harper closed out the toasts by paying tribute to the teachers
Jordan: “It is my honour to have this opportunity to acknowledge the teachers on behalf of my class. I want to say a huge thank you to all of our teachers who have been by our side throughout the last 13 years. I'd like to thank the teachers who took time out of their evening to come out to the banquet. I would like to emphasize how much you all have meant to us. You have taught us, corrected us, cared for us, and prepared us for our future. We appreciate the many, many, additional hours you put into activities and marking outside of the classroom. The sports teams, and all extracurricular activities would not have been possible without your time, leadership and guidance.”
Jack: “I personally feel ready to go into my first year of university, and this is because you make sure we are held to high standards in the classroom and in morals. I'm sure all of my classmates could agree. Another topic I'd like to touch on is how hard you work for us. I don't think we fully realize how many tests you mark, assignments you make, activities you rearrange due to sanctions, staff meetings you attend, or the planning you do behind the scenes for CCS. It's a wonder you have time for your own lives. For this, I'm deeply thankful.”
Jordan: “To Mr. Eiteneier, we are the last graduating class of your career. We have been very fortunate to have you as our leader. As we end our years of high school and begin the next chapter of our lives, so do you. We wish you all the best in your retirement. On behalf of the graduating class of 2024, Thank you!”
Jack: “I feel very lucky to have CCS as the school that has raised me. It's going to feel pretty odd not seeing your faces again this fall, but I know that it's time to move on and start a new chapter of our lives. Thanks again for the endless amount of work you guys have constantly put into us. On behalf of the grads, all I can say is that we hope to make you proud. Thank you.”
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